How old are your clubs? (and related thoughts)

[treebound]

With the USGA groove rule changes it appears that my clubs will be obsolete in less than four years for regulation play (under USGA overseen play anyway, I think, not sure about GHIN non-tournament use). I was looking at the clubs I have at home and realized most if not all of them are over 10 years old.

The last new set of clubs I bought were some Ram Lasers way back somewhere around the late 1980's. The last store bought new clubs were a putter and a wedge and those were over 10-15 years ago. (I'm getting deja-vu typing this, hope I'm not repeating myself.). My current set of irons are Tour Edge Bazookas with graphite shafts which got to be over 10 years old, bought at a church rummage. My collection of drivers and woods that I pick from all are at least 10 years old. The Titleist Vokey wedge I recently lucked into at a thrift shop could easily be over 10.

Then I read some of the posts on this site and it seems like some of you buy brand new clubs at least every 5 years or less. Sure wish I could afford to do that.

So, how old are the clubs you currently play with? How old is the oldest club in your bag? And just for grins, how many clubs in your bag are steel shafted or graphite shafted (or something else)?

I'm going to start saving up for new clubs and start watching for used conforming clubs. I guess I have to go read up on the groove rules and start educating myself on what to watch/check for.

I'm just curious if anyone else plays the older clubs, and if this should even be a concern for me. I would like to enter a WI state/local tournament at some point just for the experience once I get my handicap re-established and under control and consistent which is also part of the motivation for my curiosity.

Thanks for any comments.

[soon_tourpro]

I use beginer clubs still.
8 years old or so.
9 handicap.

I will upgrade later during the summer.
Its not the clubs, its the dude swinging them.

[Keg0brew]

Up until recently, most of my clubs were well over 10 years old.

I played with a set of original King Cobra irons from 1994 up until a short time ago when I upgraded to a set of used MP-32's.

I'll generally get new wedges, putters, or drivers every 5 or 6 years just because I feel those are the clubs where I stand to gain the most from a new club. I typically upgrade drivers when feel I will get significantly more forgiveness and wedges when the grooves are wore out. I upgrade putters when I lose feel for the one I currently have.

[kpaulhus]

My Callaway Irons are from 2005, but I have only had them since mid-2009. I am looking at upgrading to the Titleist AP2's right now.

[DavidFehertysBike]

Aside for my 3 wood, which ive had for about 3 years, everything in my bag right now is less than a year and a half old.

[zeg]

Driver: about a month and a half old. Irons: hail from 2005, I purchased very lightly used in 2009. Wedge: year and a half old. Putter and 5W: about 10 years old.

[shades9323]

I play a very old Otey Crisman 38 series blade putter with a brass head and hickory shaft. Not sure of the exact age. But it isn't one of the newer ones.

[Meddle]

I used '96 Big Bertha's up until this past January, and they were and still are great. My sand wedge is from the 80's and putter from '93. The rest are relatively new. But it seems to me the newest technology isn't going to help your score that much. At least for me, upgrading irons and Driver hasn't really helped.

[James_Black]

All my clubs apart from the 3i and 5W are post 2008.
3i dates from the 60's.
5W is a beginner club that I got in 2006.

[kennay92]

I use beginer clubs still.

KJ being a perfect example, he uses techinically GI irons, and is one of the top players.

[pingman]

My clubs are from last June. However old that is. lol

[Fourputt]

Clubs for the typical amateur will be conforming until the year 2024, so that isn't a worry unless you plan to qualify for a high level USGA or Pro competition.

My irons are starting their 2nd full season, and they conform to the new rule. My 2 Vokey wedges do not, and they are less than a year old. When it comes time to replace them, I'm sure that the new ones will conform, and that will almost certainly be before the 2024 deadline.

[gauchogolfer]

I'm a bit of a mix...
Driver - 2009
3W - 2007
Hybrid - 2009
Irons - DCI 962 Black - 1998
SW - Cleveland 485 RTG - 1999
LW - Cleveland Byron Nelson 50th Ann. (BeCu) - 1998
TM Rossa Tour Indy - 2003?

[mdl]

I also use beginner's clubs still (see the sig), maybe 8-9 years old. Though I bought a used hybrid at Roger Dunn, couple years old now, total, and bought a buddy's driver when he got a new one, though that driver's like 4 years old now too.

I've been down to about a 12 handicap, though been back up recently with swing changes followed by too much work and not enough time to practice...

[treebound]

Interesting. From reading various posts on the site here I was getting the impression that most would have newer clubs.

[max power]

Up until last year my clubs were all 9 or 10 years old. I've got newer stuff now, but a lot of it was purchased used. My Zing 2s are probably from 97 or so, my Titleist 775CBs probably from 2007. Drivers, hybrids, and wedges are all about a year old.

[shades9323]

I just got off the phone with Otey Crisman's son who is also named Otey. My putter is actually a h23 blade and is from 1968-70.

So my gamer is 40+ years old!! I probably have everyone beat.

[jschen]

All my clubs are 2009 model clubs since I started golfing last summer. They're the first clubs that I've ever owned. My intention is to keep them for the long haul. But we'll see.